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How 'Grease: Live' can win over viewers and critics

Fox is attempting to capitalize on a new live musical trend with 'Grease,' which airs on Jan. 31. What lessons can those working on the musical learn from recent NBC productions like 'The Wiz Live!'?

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Fox
'Grease: Live' stars Julianne Hough (l.), Aaron Tveit (center), and Vanessa Hudgens (r.).

Another hit musical is heading to live TV.

Following the success of NBC鈥檚 live productions of such shows as 鈥淭he Wiz鈥 and 鈥淭he Sound of Music,鈥 Fox is set to air 鈥淕rease: Live,鈥 an adaptation of the popular 1950s-set musical, on Jan. 31.

鈥淕rease: Live鈥 will star 鈥淐atch Me If You Can鈥 actor Aaron Tveit, Julianne Hough of 鈥淒ancing With the Stars,鈥 and 鈥淗igh School Musical鈥 actress Vanessa Hudgens.

As the popularity of cable networks and streaming services have increased, broadcast networks seem to be attempting various strategies to garner viewer interest, including TV shows that run for shorter seasons, following the cable and streaming model, or debuting TV shows at different times than the usual fall-to-spring TV season model 鈥 for example, Fox鈥檚 own hit TV show 鈥淓mpire鈥 will return this March after taking a long break since its last new episode in December.听

NBC has proven live musicals can attract audiences. Its 2013 production 鈥淭he Sound of Music Live!,鈥 which starred Carrie Underwood and Stephen Moyer, was a big success ratings-wise. While the two follow-ups, 鈥淧eter Pan Live!鈥 and 鈥淭he Wiz Live!,鈥 did not do as well in the ratings and 鈥淧an鈥 got a mostly lackluster reception, 鈥淲iz,鈥 which aired this past December, did better in the ratings than "Pan" and was praised by critics and viewers alike.

What can those behind 鈥淕rease: Live鈥 do to increase the chances its live musical gets good ratings and a positive reaction from critics and viewers like some of NBC鈥檚 productions have done?听

First, never underestimate the importance of enthusiasm from the performers being able to draw audiences in. 鈥淭he cast was absolutely committed,鈥 听

鈥淕rease鈥 star Tveit has starred in multiple Broadway productions and Hough is used to the live format from her experience with 鈥淒ancing,鈥 so hopefully they and the rest of the cast can win over viewers with their hard work onscreen as well.

Making a production feel relevant is also important. wrote of 鈥淧an,鈥 鈥淭he libretto [is] full of stodgy, regressive ideas about women and gender.鈥澨

By contrast, many critics wrote 鈥淭he Wiz鈥 felt fresh. 鈥淒orothy and her cohorts got an update in wardrobe, choreography, and even dialogue without tampering with the spirit of the original production,鈥 wrote.

With 鈥淕rease,鈥 those behind the musical are apparently taking out some elements of the story that probably wouldn鈥檛 sit well with audiences today, such as a racist joke. 鈥淲e can move past some of those [politically incorrect] things and still have the integrity of the story,鈥 .听

Having the musical itself be a favorite of younger viewers is also most likely important. With that, those behind 鈥淕rease鈥 seem to have little to worry about. Hough, who was born 10 years after 鈥淕rease鈥 came to movie theaters, said in , 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of like how kids know Michael Jackson and Mickey Mouse and Elvis. You just know 鈥楪rease鈥 鈥 I鈥檇 do the dances and the songs.鈥

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